Republican Senators Ron Johnson and Rand Paul are speaking out strongly against a new bill backed by former President Donald Trump. This bill recently passed the House and includes a mix of tax cuts, new rules for social programs, and a big increase in the national debt limit.
The bill brings back parts of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and introduces new breaks, especially for seniors. For example, it lets people 65 and older deduct an extra $4,000 from their taxes. It also raises the limit for how much people can deduct on state and local taxes.
But critics say the bill also makes big cuts to programs that help low-income Americans. It adds work requirements and stricter rules for people on Medicaid and food assistance. It also bans Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care and limits federal money for abortion services.
On top of that, the bill boosts spending on defense and border security. It gives $150 billion more to the military and $70 billion for border enforcement, including money to build more of the wall and use surveillance technology.
One of the biggest concerns is that the bill would raise the national debt by over $3 trillion in the next 10 years, mostly because of the tax cuts. Some Republicans, including Johnson and Paul, say this goes against conservative values. Johnson called the bill “immoral” and said it puts too much financial burden on future generations. Paul said it’s not right for conservatives to support such a massive debt increase and warned against blindly following Trump’s plan.
An economist, Josh Bivens, said the critics have a point—deficits are too high for a strong economy like the one we have now. But he also warned against overreacting. He said it’s like fixing a leaky roof, not fighting a house fire. He added that cutting programs like Medicaid could backfire in the long run by harming kids’ futures and increasing costs later.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where it faces more scrutiny. If more than three Republican senators vote against it, it likely won’t pass. Some senators, like Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Josh Hawley, have already expressed doubts.
Trump is pushing hard for the Senate to approve the bill quickly, calling it one of the most important pieces of legislation ever. Speaker Mike Johnson praised it too, saying it helps families, boosts the economy, strengthens the military, and makes government more efficient.
But critics from both parties disagree. Bernie Sanders said it helps the rich and hurts working-class people. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called it a “tax scam” pushed by far-right Republicans.
Right-wing commentator Steve Bannon also criticized it, saying the numbers don’t add up unless taxes go up in the Senate version.
In short, this bill could shape the country’s future—but it’s dividing Republicans, worrying Democrats, and stirring debate across the political spectrum.
